Chole Bhature/Deep Fried Indian Puffed Bread with Chickpeas Curry

Chole bhature is a typical Punjabi dish common in North India.It is a combination of chole (chick peas) and fried breads called bhature(made out of all purpose flour).This is a popular street food snack in Northern part of India.
After eating rice for two days continuously  we were desperately craving for spicy and hot food.What else could be more comforting than "Chole Bhature''which happens to be one of our favorites.Generally chole(chana) is served along with batura/ bhature.

Bhature/Batura
Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour/maida-2 cup
2. curd-half cup
3. sugar-2tsp
4. baking soda-1/4tsp
5. Rava-5tbsp(for extra crispiness)
6. Salt -1/2tsp
7. Oil-1&1/2 tbsp
8. water- as required

Method:

• Mix together flour,baking soda,rava and salt.
• Then add curd and sugar knead well.Make a smooth dough by adding just enough water.
• Cover the dough and keep aside.Allow it toferment for 4-5 hours.
• Knead the dough again and divide into equal sized balls of desired size and roll out into thick round or oval shape.
• Heat oil in a pan for deep frying on a medium high flame,drop bhature one by one,pressing down slightly with the back of a spoon so that they puff up in to balls. 
• Fry both sides to a golden brown and drain it on a kitchen tissue to absorb the excess oil. 
• serve hot with chole(chick peas)curry or any non veg curries of your choice. 

Chole Masala/Chickpeas/Channa Masala: 
Ingredients: 

• chickpeas/channa -1/2cup
• onion -1 big  
• tomato -1,big
• ginger-half inch piece
• garlic-2 pod
• green chilly-3,slit
• bay leaf-1
• cinnamon-1'' piece
• cardamom-1
• cumin seeds-half tsp
• chole masala powder-1 tsp
• turmeric powder- a couple of pinches
• kasoori methi-1tsp,crushed
• coriander leaves-2 tsp,chopped
• lemon juice-1tsp
• salt to taste
• oil- as required  

Method:

• Soak chickpeas overnight and cook in a pressure cooker with turmeric,salt ,bay leaf and with water just enough  to immerse the chickpeas.
• Heat oil in a big pan.when oil becomes hot,add cumin seeds.
• Add bay leaf,cinnamon sticks and cardamom,stir for a while.
• Add finely chopped onion and fry the onion till translucent.add green chillies,ginger and garlic,saute well until the raw smell goes off.
• Add the chopped tomato and salt.add masala powder and turmeric powder.saute till the raw smell disappears.
• Add cooked chickpeas along with water.mix well.
• Add crushed kasoori methi(dried fenu greek leaves) into this.reduce the flame for 10 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.
• Add lemon juice to it.stir well.garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Bhature or Chapati.....
Happy Cooking!!!